


Across the Universe

by akrimChan



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: F/M, when love isn't enough, you only realize how much you love someone when you lose them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2018-11-21 16:27:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11361201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akrimChan/pseuds/akrimChan
Summary: They were supposed to be together. But fate kept tearing them apart no matter what universe.





	1. Endless Skies

**Across the Universe**

 

Right there. Right that second her world shattered.

They had been drifting apart, slowly but steadily, unstoppable, never to be stopped.

The monocle came off, next came the hat and all that was left was his face, his eyes that never left hers, never strayed even a single inch away from her gaze. Her shocked, unbelieving eyes never leaving his, either.

She knew things had started to change when Kaito suddenly started doing things without her. He was busy with things he never told her about, he was always tired in the mornings, more even after heists and before. Now, of course, it made so much perfect sense and yet it did not make any sense at all.

This was supposed to be her best friend. The bestest friend she ever had, in fact. She thought, she always thought, she was the same to him, but right now she wasn’t so sure anymore.

She had always told him everything. She told him all her secrets so that now she had none he wasn’t aware of. None besides one, anyways, but right now that didn’t matter. It didn’t matter at all anymore because there was no way, no freaking way, she’d ever come to tell him now.

Kuroba Kaito was her best friend. But right now she found out that Kuroba Kaito was also Kaitou Kid. He was the person she trusted the most, the person she loved and treasured and now she found out that he was also the person she hated the most.

And something, something so deep inside her that she never even knew existed, broke. Not only did her world shatter and fall apart around her, making her walk on debris, making her make her way through ruins and dust and bricks and nothing, and nothing, and nothing and nothing and nothing.

And then she couldn’t breathe because her bestest friend was actually her nemesis and they just put handcuffs on his wrists and they were about to take him away, to take away her bestest friend and she knew she’d never ever see him again and nothing would be the same ever again.

It wouldn’t even if they did not take him away, though she did not want to think about that just yet.

His gaze never wavered, he never lost his Poker Face, not even for a second, not even when she was breaking apart, and there was no oxygen and why couldn’t she breathe and where are you taking him and what’s going to happen? No, _no,_ this couldn’t happen.

She should have felt anger, she should have felt a just rage towards him that should have left her feeling satisfied that finally, _finally_ her father succeeded and apprehended that underhanded thief and yet all she felt was panic of losing her bestest friend and never ever seeing him again. And he, he never stopped looking at her, fixing her with his blank Poker Face and she couldn’t breathe.

And then one second passed and then another and there was a pull and _she had to do something_! This was her best friend and even though he was her nemesis and he did not tell her and he lied to her and she had proved her father wrong when her father had actually been right and _oh God Hakuba knew. Hakuba knew. Hakuba was right._

And yet, and yet she could not let go, she could not let her bestest friend be taken away.

She still had the _Endless Skies_ that she was supposed to take care of inside her pocket and all she had to do was play her cards right. That’s what Kaito taught her anyway, right? Always keep your Poker Face, that’s what he did. And Kaitou Kid never let his Poker Face slip in front of an audience, at least.

_Just be smug and full of yourself and they’re never going to see the difference._

Kaito was Kaitou Kid. And Kaito had handcuffs around his wrists. And Kaito was to be led away, arrested, never to see sunlight again.

Suddenly, clapping could be heard and everyone stilled in their doings. They stopped pulling Kaito with them and instead turned their faces towards her.

Aoko was grinning from ear to ear and even though her heart was going 180 beats per minute she was the epitome of calmness on the outside.

“Ne, ne keibuu” she said smugly and looked her father straight in the eyes. Slowly, she took the diamond out of her jeans’ pocket and threw it lightly in the air. When the energy left the small gem and gravity took over, she caught it with ease and repeated the process. Throw and catch, throw and catch, never taking her eyes off of her father.

“Aoko, what is the meaning of this?!” he bellowed, obviously waiting for a _good_ response because she was keeping him from putting that outrageous thief behind him behind bars. And that, after he was _finally_ able to catch him, even if it _was_ a shock that the thief was actually Kuroba Kaito, a boy he’s known for too many years to not be affected by this.

“Really, keibu, it’s as easy as always” she exclaimed and with one last throw she let the diamond disappear out of the air. (Suddenly she was incredibly grateful that Kuroba Touichi had taught her a few magic tricks when he was still alive.) Never losing her Poker Face and the widest grin she ever sported she pointed towards Kaito who looked at her like she had just grown a second head and probably also a third one. “That guy being Kaitou Kid? Don’t make me laugh, keibu.”

Aoko put both her hands into her pockets and hoped very much they wouldn’t actually see through her anxiousness and her wildly beating heart. She was still feeling like not enough oxygen was entering her system but she’s never felt so clear in her mind before. And even though there would be consequences, consequences for everything, for Kaito’s betrayal, for Aoko’s betrayal, Kaito being the Kid, the lies, the lies, the lies, Aoko did not think about it.

“This boy” she pointed towards Kaito who looked like a deer caught in the headlights “is actually my biggest fan. Did you know that, keibu? It was easy to find out that the _real_ jewel would be with Nakamori-chan, so I had to disguise someone else as myself to be able to get to Nakamori-chan, no?”

Hakuba spluttered and took a step towards Aoko, pointing angrily at Kaito. “Now, Nakamori-chan, don’t do this to yourself. Obviously, the real Kaitou Kid is Kuroba Kaito and you’re just trying to take the blame, aren’t you? He isn’t who you think he is, stop protecting him!”

Aoko wanted to scream and rage because _Hakuba_ had no right to tell her what to do and if she knew Kaito or not. But right now she was playing to be the thief so she couldn’t just blow up on him.

Instead she grinned a little wider. “You are _so_ gullible. Just because you see someone in a costume doesn’t mean it’s the real deal.” She had to wrap this up real fast and go. Really, she had to make them believe Kaito was not Kaitou Kid but really, what was she doing? How _was_ she going to leave anyway? She took out the diamond again and watched it carefully. It was clear, see through if you squinted enough, just like glass and for a second she wondered if it even was the real deal. “This one was with Nakamori-chan so I’m taking it now. You might want to free her from the closet I locked her in. Oh and of course, you should get her some clothes.” She pocketed the diamond again and looked at her father with a winning expression.

“Well then, _Otou-san,_ I’m outta here.” With that, she turned around and sprinted. Her father was flabbergasted behind her but caught himself pretty quickly. It was just so Kaitou Kid to have a double disguise and then to have the nerve and disguise himself as his daughter. _Again_!

“Catch him! That’s the real thief! Catch Kaitou Kid!” he bellowed and ran after Aoko.

Hakuba cursed quite creatively and pointed an accusing finger towards Kaito. “This is not over, Kuroba. Why ever it is she protected you, I’ll find evidence to lock you behind bars. Mark my words!” With that he turned and left after all the officers to make sure Aoko did not get hurt.

How Kaito always escaped the squad was honestly beyond her. Right now, they were quite far away from her because she got a nice wide head start but they were continuously gaining up on her and she didn’t like that one damn bit. She needed to think a way out of this and fast. If they got her and found out that she wasn’t Kaitou Kid but indeed just Nakamori Aoko everything would be blown and Kaito might run but he sure couldn’t stay in this country anymore and she was having none of this. So running it was.

She would jump out of the window because that was what Kid always did, only she couldn’t just fly away so jumping out of windows was crossed off the how-to-escape-the-police-squad-list. What then? She turned yet another corner and spotted the door for the staircase. Yeah. That would have to do. She should probably just run down, so that she could hide inside the crowd outside and lose them. Or something along the lines, only her body was disobeying her and why the hell was she running upstairs, dammit?

Soon footsteps sounded behind her and her heart stopped for a second. Just _how_ exactly would she shake them off?

 _Try thinking for a second, Ahoko_ Kaito’s voice resounded inside her head. Well. That wasn’t helping much but that voice was right. Only she really couldn’t think about much else but run, run, runrunrunrun don’t stop. So run is what she did.

There was a door she slipped through, a corridor, another door, another corridor, turn right then left, another door, downstairs, door, corridor. Next thing she knows she was standing in front of a glass front overlooking all of Tokyo and her heart sunk because now she was trapped. There was only the way back which she didn’t dare go in fear that Otou-san was already waiting for her but what else was she going to do?

And before she could despair a second longer something beneath her exploded and the glass beneath her feet cracked and suddenly she was falling and this was not supposed to happen. Panic gripped her when she felt glass break her skin and pain, there was pain everywhere and she was still falling and falling and how far would she fall, she’ll surely die here. _Protecting Kid was a stupid idea_ was her last thought before the world around her stopped and only pain stayed. 

* * *

 

“Shit _shit_ Aoko! Do you hear me?! Shit! Don’t move, I’m getting you off there, just stay put, you hear me?”

She opened her eyes slowly, the world around her shapeless and blurry and really, she felt nothing but pain. She was hearing things quite clearly, though. Or as clearly as she could with her head pounding and her chest hurting so much and really why was breathing so painful again? But still, she heard Kaito’s voice as clear as she could or was she hallucinating, after all? Since when did Kaito sound as scared and panicked as then? It was absolutely out of his character. He was arrogant and full of himself, so being worried for someone and even openly showing it, was something that Aoko’s never seen before. At least not like this.

When things started to take on edges and she felt like she could _see_ again, she saw that thief in white fretting quite a distance. He looked highly concentrated on doing what – she couldn’t say.

She couldn’t feel her arm, she was sure she could not feel it. And there was blood. Or was it? There was red around her. So if it was blood, was it hers? Her heart sped up again in panic. Was she bleeding? Was she dying? She fell quite far and wasn’t she standing on some glass platform before she fell?

The thief slowly crept ever closer and she didn’t understand why. What was taking him so long? He was suaveness in person – usually that is. So what the hell was he doing now?

She saw the jewel, the _Endless Skies_  still clutched in her hand. Only, weirdly enough it wasn’t see through anymore but of a dark red color – red like her blood. Maybe it _was_ just her blood, though. Or maybe she was just hallucinating because her vision got blurry again and the world around her lost its shape again. Kid was just a white speck on the horizon or maybe that was something else. She couldn’t tell. And when the pain got so bad that she couldn’t even think anymore because that pounding in her head was so bad and couldn’t she just _stop breathing dammit?_ If this was what dying felt like, she really wanted no part in it.

Before she heard or saw the cracks that suddenly started beneath her or the hand that grabbed her forcefully and pulled her towards a body that brought her towards solid ground again, everything had long since gone dark.


	2. Fake-Kaito

**Chapter 2 Fake-Kaito**

When Aoko opened her eyes again, everything was dark. But it was a _weird_ dark. It wasn’t even dark _per se_. Aoko didn’t really know how to describe what she just saw and a slight panic spread out inside of her.

 _Where_ was she?

Everything was silent. From what she could gather there was no wind, no pressure, no nothing. She heard herself breath, heard her heart beating. It was weird. She’s never encountered such silence before but it didn’t feel _unpleasant_ like when you’re with someone and don’t know what to say and this strange silence develops.

The air felt even nice. It was warm and cold at the same time, a mixture Aoko couldn’t really place. If anything, it felt natural.

There were … staircases all around her which lead to what looked like doors. They went right and left and up and down.

 _Is that one_ upside down _?!_

Swallowing hard, Aoko stood up and examined her surroundings. She was obviously standing on one of those staircases, behind her a door standing proud and tall (why she thought that a door could _stand proud and tall_ she didn’t know).

It was dark, like, the war pitch black all around those doors, like when you look at the stars at night and only the stars twinkle while the rest is pitch dark and yet you can _still_ see.

_That’s right. Maybe it’s night time. And the doors could be stars … well … or something like that._

From her point of view the stairs as well as the doors looked like they were _glowing_ and while she wouldn’t call it a glow, those doors _did_ emit some kind of light because she could see them inside this pitch black darkness.

Aoko leaned against the door behind her. She’s never seen anything like this and wondered what made her mind come up with something like this – because _obviously_ this must be a dream. Nothing more and nothing less but a dream.

Sighing and smiling softly, Aoko pushed herself away from that proud standing door and followed the stairway. If this was a dream, she could just as well explore it. Maybe there were some kinds of surprises waiting for her behind those doors. Maybe it was something like _Alice in Wonderland_. If it was, Aoko couldn’t wait to see it since Alice used to be her favorite book when she was young.

The doors all had the same kind of color, if you could call it that, the only difference was the _feeling._ While the door Aoko had found herself in front of at first felt strong and proud, the one she stopped in front of now felt _heavy_. If she had to describe it, it was that kind of tired heavy where your chest feels so heavy and all you want to do is sleep, sleep it all off and maybe the next day will be better only to find that, in fact, it wasn’t.

Without thinking about it any further, Aoko pushed the handle and entered the room.

The young girl didn’t really know what to expect but this was probably _not_ what she would have come up with. Closing the door behind her, she stood curiously inside the room.

From the looks of it she was inside a bar. It was rather loud and there were many tables with a lot of people, men mostly, drunk. The air felt heavy, not the depressing heavy she felt from the door, but the hot and choking heavy where too many people stayed inside one room without a single breath of fresh air.

So far, Aoko’s only been once inside a bar, well, at least one like this and that time was with Kaito and Jii-san. Back then she hadn’t felt at ease, not in the beginning, but since Kaito had been there (and Jii-san of course) she’d felt safe.

Whenever Kaito was with her Aoko had the feeling that nothing could happen to her. If it was because she was a girl and he a boy and usually boys protected girls or because she liked him more than she should and hoped he’d do for her what she’d do for him, she didn’t know.

Maybe it was because Kaito had always protected her, so far. Be it the one time at school when they were hunting a ghost and she was scared to the bones or the time she barely remembered when they were in Okinawa and she went diving with this strange fisher man. She didn’t remember what happened after that but when she woke up Kaito was with her. She’d felt strangely warm when she realized she’d been probably in danger and Kaito got her out of it – safe and sound.

But that was neither here nor there. Right now Aoko was inside a bar she never saw before, alone, and while she didn’t feel scared per se, she felt not at ease. Not one bit.

“Now, what do we have here?” Suddenly a voice snarled next to her, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her towards a big and smelly body.

Aoko took a sharp breath, trying to free her arm from the iron grip but it was futile, the more she fought him the harder he held her.

“Let go!” she yelped, turning her head to face the man who looked drunk stupid, fat and had a greasy grin plastered on what he called a face. He had several scars run along the full length of his face. He pulled her up on his lap and Aoko blanched.

“Let go!” she yelled again but instead of help only laughter reached her ears. There were other men around the table, probably, Aoko was too busy trying to fight that guy off to watch her surroundings. “Let me go, please!”

The guy snarled in her face and put his hand on her leg. Fear shot through her like a rocket and froze her. All of a sudden she felt cold, so incredibly cold, and the farther his hand went up the more she felt like throwing up. This was not happening – this was _not_ happening.

Then the next thing she knows, she’s standing back on her feet, a tall body in front of her, protecting her from that creep.

“You touch that girl again and I off you, are we clear?!” the man in front of her growled threateningly and the burly guy shut up without much fight.

Aoko was shaking slightly, barely standing on her feet. The man in front of her, his back, looked somewhat familiar but she couldn’t really tell where from. After what felt like an eternity he turned around to her, grabbed her arm and shoved her out of the bar rather forcefully.

“That-that hurts. Let go” Aoko cried out but the man didn’t let go, instead he started walking faster, pulling her along.

Now this was bad. While, for a second, she’d been happy that he came to her rescue, Aoko wasn’t sure anymore if she really should feel so happy about it. But before she could protest any more they came to a stop in front of a car.

“Get in!” he bellowed and pushed her towards the passenger seat.

“Now that’s enough!” she yelled. “Not even Kaito talks to me like that!”

It was a futile attempt at bravado, a wide jump but one which gave her enough courage to face that man head on. And Aoko froze.

“Kai – to?” she whispered. She’d not noticed it before but now that she saw his face, she realized he looked just like Kaito and he’d even _sounded_ just like Kaito – a little more gruff and deeper but it was overall Kaito. Her Kaito.

He squinted and frowned at her. “Who the fuck are you? Why the fuck do you look like her and _what_ the fuck has a little girl like you been doing inside that fucking bar, huh? Are you even 15, yet?!”

“Well, _excuse_ you! I’m 17! And you’re most likely _not_ Kaito. Kaito would _never_ talk to me like that, you- you- you _imposter_!” Aoko yelled back.

The fake-Kaito took out a packet of cigarettes, took one out, lit it and while inhaling it closed his eyes for a second. When he blew out the smoke he opened his eyes again and nodded. “Fine. Now. What is your name?”

“Nakamori Aoko.”

He scowled at her. “What the fuck are you saying? Are you fucking _kidding_ me, girl? Now, again, what is your fucking name and if you don’t tell me the truth I will fucking end you!”

Aoko swallowed hard. What was wrong with him? “It is custom to give your own name first!” There was the fake bravado again.

Fake-Kaito looked utterly annoyed, the scowl never leaving his face. “Kuroba Kaito. Now, what is _your_ name, Missy?!”

Aoko gasped. “But – that’s _impossible._ You _can’t_ be Kaito. I mean, you _do_ look like him and your voice is the same, well, mostly and you _do_ look older than Kaito but-“

“ _What_ the hell are you blabbering about?!” Fake-Kaito inquired angrily.

“Kaito doesn’t smoke! Unless –“, she looked hesitantly into his face. “Do you maybe have a younger brother? With the exact same na…” She noticed what a dumb idea that was. Why would Kaito have a younger brother named the very same? “Ah, I guess not, huh?”

“Your name. I’m waiting.” He nearly growled, a sound so utterly alien coming out of Kaito’s mouth that it startled her.

“I-I already told you. _Dammit Bakaito!_ I’m Aoko. Nakamori Aoko!”

Suddenly, he grabbed her throat and pushed her against the car. “Now listen here. _Aoko_ ”, the way he called her name sounded so utterly broken “died fucking seven years ago. _I_ buried her myself. _I_ ’d fucking _know_ if she, in fact, was still alive. One more time. Who. The. Fuck. Are. You?!”

Aoko gasped for breath, fear freezing her mind. This was _not_ her Kaito, most definitely _not._

“You’re disgusting!” he spat and shoved her on the ground.

The girl took large, heavy breaths.

Fake-Kaito went up and down in front of her, taking a few deep gulps of air, probably trying to calm himself down again.

“Fuck!” he suddenly cursed. Throwing the cigarette away, he knelt down to her. “Look, I’m sorry. You just look like _her_ and you even have the same name.”

Aoko shook her head frantically. “Sta-stay away from me.”

“I’m sorry.” Aoko looked up to him. He had the very same blue eyes Kaito had. Even if it was dark, in the middle of the night, the lamp posts providing the only source of light, Aoko could point out that one thing. He sounded genuine enough. But to think that _Kaito_ would actually attack her …

“Where do you live, Kiddo? Let me make it up to her.”

This was probably the first near-death experience, and while she knew there were a few times she couldn’t remember where she _might_ have experienced similar things, she couldn’t stop shaking. Her heartbeat was still racing inside her chest, the adrenaline paralyzing her to the spot.

“Alright” Fake-Kaito said and sat down next to her. “Calm down a little and let’s talk. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Aoko tried scooting away from him, even a little bit, but her body just didn’t want to listen to her. This was really bad. She was alone with a man who just tried to choke her because she told him her name. A man looking too much like her childhood best friend who’d never act like that. A man who even shared the very same name with her childhood best friend. Something was very wrong here.

(Though, if she was really honest with herself she’d see that he didn’t do much more than push her against the car for a second or two.)

“So. What is this Kaito like? The one you’ve been talking about? Obviously you know one beside me.” He put on a mask, the same way she was used from Kaito. He looked curious enough but didn’t let her see any emotion which may betray him.

“He’s my friend” she croaked out. “That’s right” she looked up with a new fire in her eyes, “if kaito finds out he’ll beat your ass! And if Outo-san finds out he’ll -”

Fake-Kaito nodded for her to continue. “Ah well, maybe Otou-san shouldn’t find out. He’s keibu. He isn’t involved with murder but he’s been the one assigned to catch Kaitou Kid. He _does_ possess a gun.”

Kaito’s face visibly darkened and Aoko wished she could take back those words. Apparently, they triggered something again and she didn’t want to be on the receiving end anymore.

“Where do you live, Kiddo?” he asked in a serious voice after a short while.

Aoko shuddered. This was absolutely not Kaito. Kaito was _never_ this serious. Maybe that was the reason, being alone with a dangerous stranger, which urged her to tell him what he wanted to know. “In Ekoda.”

Fake-Kaito sighed deeply, pinching his nose in obvious frustration. “I don’t know if you’re trying to pull my leg, if this is a dumb joke for you or if you _really_ believe what you’re saying but how about I take you there and you tell me the truth after that?”

Aoko shuddered again and doubted she had much choice here. She didn’t want to go with him even if he looked calm enough right now but what if he tried to hurt her again?

“I promise not to hurt you again.”

“Easy for you to say after you nearly killed me”, she spat back in his face and already regretted it deep inside but she wouldn’t be Aoko if she didn’t go down fighting.

Fake-Kaito smiled slightly. “You’re honestly just like her. Now get in the car. Let’s go.”

The imposter unlocked the car and pulled her to her feet – against her vocal protests.

“Look”, he started, “according to you, your father is with the police, right? If I take you to your place he could simply shoot me.  You’ll be safe with him, am I right?”

“Who knows if you’ll really take me there and not kidnap me instead?”

Kaito arched a brow and looked amused. “Besides, you’re drunk. Just look at you. One moment you’re saving me, the next you’re about to rip out my throat and then suddenly you smile like that.” Aoko pointed an accusing finger towards him and Fake-Kaito couldn’t stop grinning. “S-stop that!”

Suddenly, there was a single rose in front of her face. It was the single most identical thing to being _Kaito_ that it took her breath away. How could he be so much like Kaito and at the same time _not?_

Perhaps it was the rose or perhaps it was his disarming smile, she didn’t know, but one of those got her inside his car and while she was yelling at herself inside her head for falling into the trap of a psychopath and how she _wasn’t_ going to survive the night, she felt strangely at ease.

She hadn’t even told him her exact address but she soon recognized her neighborhood (which looked slightly different but Aoko placed it to the other strange things that happened this night). She wondered how he knew where she lived but didn’t question it since he took her home where her father was probably waiting for her.

_Crap! What time is it? Otou-san will be livid._

The rest of the car ride passed silently and Aoko was grateful for that. She didn’t know what triggered this man and she really didn’t want to further try her luck. He was probably drunk, so she shouldn’t be sitting in this car and he shouldn’t be driving but rationality has long since left her and apparently him, as well. So silence was the most appreciated thing right now.

When this imposter stopped in front of a property she jumped out without thanking or telling him goodbye and stopped abruptly when she realized what was in front of her.

They used to have a fence which was half destroyed and where there used to be their house, there were only ruins. Ruins of something that could have been her house but Aoko wasn’t sure.

Uncertain, she turned around and eyed him sharply. “Where did you take me?!”

“Nakamori-keibu. Is that your father?”

Aoko nodded slowly, dread spreading inside of her.

The Fake-Kaito viewed the worn-down property. “After Aoko died, Keibu stopped taking care of himself. He blamed himself for her death. A few months later the house was on fire. I imagine he did it himself but I have no evidence. He was found inside the ruins.”

Aoko took a sharp breath. “You’re lying!” she yelled. “Otou-san’s just fine and you’re just a stupid liar! That’s a lie. There’s no way he could be dead. _I’m_ alive!” She was choking on unshed tears. It must be a bad dream. This _couldn’t_ be real.

He watched her with a solemn look. “Why would I be lying? The evidence of the truth is right in front of you. Maybe this is all but a dream because this is where _Aoko_ lived, _my_ Aoko and yet this is apparently where _you_ lived as well. I don’t remember the Keibu having a second daughter, one much younger even.”

Aoko was shaking her head in denial. “No, no, this is impossible!” Why couldn’t she remember anything? Wasn’t he at a Kid heist just yesterday? Aoko clutched her head in a tight grip.

 _Remember! Remember, dammit. Remember, you idiot! What happened yesterday? There was a Kid heist, wasn’t it? There’s_ always _one. There must have been one again. What then? What then?!_

Despair took a hold of her and Aoko crumbled. “No!” she sobbed. “That’s not possible.”

The Fake-Kaito walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Calm down. I’m sure this is just a mistake.”

Aoko tore her head up to him, angry at his words. “A mistake?! How the _hell_ is _this”_ she pointed towards the ruin that used to be her home, “ _possibly_ a mistake?”

She violently shook his hand off. “No, no, this is wrong. It’s all wrong.” In the distance something was shining a brilliant white and that was when she remembered everything.

With tear stained cheeks and widened eyes she turned to the Fake-Kid, pointing at him.

“ _You’re Kaitou Kid_ :”


	3. At home at last

**Chapter 3 At home at last**

“No, not _you_. Kaito! _My_ Kaito. I found out he’s Kaitou Kid because that idiot got caught.” She kept her finger pointed at the fake. “There was a Kid heist yesterday, or,” she looked around her. “actually, I don’t know when. But I ran away from Otou-san to save Kaito’s ass and got hurt. I must have lost consciousness.”

Fake-Kaito looked at her calmly. “And then?” he inquired.

Aoko looked down, her mind in deep concentration. “I-I don’t know. There was this … I don’t know. Doors. There were doors.”

That’s right. She’d been in an odd place where there was only darkness and doors and stairs. She’d declared it a dream, nothing more and nothing less, but could _this_ be possibly a dream?

A _nightmare_!

Aoko looked up in shock when she came to a realization. Back in the car she’d thought the houses looked differently but she’d thought she was tired and it was dark. Now, though, she realized that they really _were_ different. This was _not_ where she grew up. This was _not_ her home.

When the girl started pulling her hair in distress and oncoming panic, Fake-Kaito kneeled once again down to her so they were at eye level, and gently grasped her hands in his, stopping her from hurting herself any further.

“Take a deep breath, Aoko.”

She looked at him with wide eyes full of panic and shook her head violently. “No,” she sobbed. “You don’t understand! This is _not_ where I grew up. It looks the same but it’s not.”

Kaito nodded in understanding. “Then maybe I got the address wrong.”

His soothing aura calmed her enough to start thinking again. “What- what day is today?”

Kaito let go of her hands when her grip weakened and instead wiped her tears away. “Today’s the first day of the forth moon month in year 2876.”

Aoko’s eyes bulged out. “Are you _kidding_ me?” she shrieked. When Fake-Kaito’s expression didn’t change like she expected (something Kaito was prone to do – _her_ Kaito that is), she swallowed hard, realizing he was dead serious.

Clutching her head again, Aoko fell to the ground, all power left her.

“You don’t understand,” she wailed. “There was a Kid heist and everyone besides me was fine. That’s at least what I remember. I must have been brought to the hospital – there was blood, I remember blood, probably mine.”

Only now Aoko looked down at herself. She was _not_ wearing the clothes from before. It was the dress she’d once worn to the date with Kaito. She had needed to prove to her father that he wasn’t Kid but besides that, she’d been really looking forward to the date. Anyway, that’s what she was wearing right now. But her legs seemed fine, her arms had not one scratch. How could that be?

“How does my face look like?”

“Tearstained,” was Fake-Kaito’s answer and Aoko exploded on him.

“Not _that Ba_ kaito! I must have some wounds, _anything_! I fell pretty far and hard, there was glass, I _must_ have some wounds.” She was panicking again.

“Aoko,” Fake-Kaito said in his matter-of-fact voice. “Calm down. Panicking won’t get you anywhere. Your face looks just fine. You don’t have any wounds. It’s getting pretty late. How about I take you with me, you sleep a night and tomorrow we’ll think about a solution to this problem?”

“I _hate_ Kaitou Kid. It’s all _his_ fault.”

Fake-Kaito sighed and nodded. “I hate him, too. But now let’s go. You must be freezing.”

Aoko was listlessly staring at her arms which were the same unblemished color they used to be. She didn’t understand how this was possible.

“I’m in the future. Somehow I traveled into the future,” she mumbled.

Kaito arched another brow. “What makes you think that? Obviously, something’s very wrong here. But the future? I don’t think so. There has not been a Kid heist where I let Aoko get hurt and most definitely has your father never caught me.”

She tore her head upwards and stared at Fake-Kaito who had his dark gaze set on something on the horizon. For a second she wondered if he was here with her or somewhere far away. “ _You’re_ Kid?!”

Kaito looked down to her. “Not anymore, kiddo. I used to don the costume but I long since buried it. Just like you I detest the phantom.”

“Then why!” she screamed, pushing to her feet to run to him and hit him on his chest. “Why did you _do_ it?! Why would do all that? Was it just for fun?!” It was a futile attempt at trying to hurt him.

Fake-Kaito had a wistful look on his face. “I don’t know about that Kaitou Kid of yours but I had a reason, back then. I did not do it simply for kicks.”

Aoko came to a stillstand. “I don’t under _stand_.” She burrowed her head in his chest, her hands falling limply to her sides.

Fake-Kaito sighed again. “Let’s go, Kiddo.” Softly, he shoved her back inside the car and closed the door behind her. She let him do it without any more protests.

If she wasn’t in the future, _where_ was she? Was this some kind of bad dream? A joke? Did Kaito prepare all of this? Was this punishment for saving his ass back then? Or did she die and then somehow come back? But she didn’t know _this_ world. Wherever this was, she didn’t know it.

The drive to Fake-Kaito’s apartment went on as silently as before. Aoko’d thought he’d take her to the house she was used seeing him in – namely in _his_ house but very soon they left Ekoda and steered for Tokyo.

She wasn’t even that much surprised anymore. So this guy who looked like Kaito, was named _Kaito_ , sounded like him, probably had even the same _secrets_ as her Kaito – this Kaito used to be Kaitou Kid, after all. Just like her Kaito.

It didn’t make any sense. During the heist she got hurt, she knew that much. She most likely hurt her head, as well. But how could hurting her head explain all of this?

She was somewhere which looked like what she knew – only it wasn’t. She didn’t know this world. A world where Nakamori Aoko hasn’t existed for seven years if Fake-Kaito hadn’t lied to her. But then again, what reason did he have to lie to her? She’d seen the remains of her house, the evidence that her father was most likely as dead as her dead counterpart.

There were so many differences but just as many similarities and how could that be? How could a world so similar to hers exist? Why would there be a second world with all the same people and lives and _everything_? It seemed more like a really elaborate dream. Since her mind couldn’t produce anything new, it projected the world that she knew as a new one and made her believe she was somewhere else.

“Do you think I could be in a coma and this is all but a dream?” she asked silently.

Fake-Kaito was focused on the street but at her words he turned towards her and smiled slightly. “Well, if coma patients can react to their surroundings, I think it might be possible. But that would mean I’m just thought up. I’d just be a different version of a Kaito you know, right? Besides, I’d rather not have you be in a coma. People don’t always wake up from that, you know? I’d much rather you be safe and sound and live your life to the fullest.”

Aoko slumped in her seat. “But if this is not some weird dream world, _where_ am I. And how did I get here? And why?”

Fake-Kaito kept silent.

Aoko watched the outside world through the glass. She felt serene, just like the whole world, now that she had time to actually look and think about it. The houses were all a tad darker than she remembered them being. The people, if there were any, looked emotionless and if not, they looked sad or angry. She hasn’t seen a single one who was laughing. The streets looked dirty and rundown. Nothing like what she was used of Tokyo. It may have been a copy of the world she knew, but a much darker one. One Aoko didn’t want to spend too much time in if she was really honest.

They stopped in front of a huge dark building. The garage door opened in front of them. So, technologywise, they seemed to be at the same level. At least, that was a little comforting.

When Fake-Kaito parked the car, Aoko sluggishly got out and followed the lookalike to an elevator. They didn’t exchange a single word, not in the elevator which took them to the highest floor, not when Aoko followed him through the long and narrow corridor, not until they were inside his apartment. It was the last one on the corridor. One, which had the darkest, rundown door she’d ever seen and Aoko wondered if maybe she _did_ walk home with a psychopath who’d kill her now.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I wasn’t prepared for a visitor so if you’d just excuse the chaos.” He seemed honestly embarrassed and hastily put his dirty, at least she assumed it was dirty, clothes away. “Make yourself at home.”

 _Yeah. I’m with a stranger who looks like Kaito but is not and I’m supposed to make myself at home. If this was Kaito’s place, I mean_ my _Kaito’s place, then sure. Not that my Kaito belongs to me or anything._

Fake-Kaito bustled a few minutes around the apartment until he came at a halt in front of her with a disarming smile. “Now, Ojou-sama. Would you like something to eat? Drink? Let me show you around the apartment first.”

After taking her shoes off, she took his outstretched hand and followed him through the apartment.

The hall was narrow and short and soon led to three glass doors.

“Now, Ojou-sama. To the left there is the bath, if you turn around you’ll find the kitchen and in front of you is the living room.”

Aoko turned around and followed Fake-Kaito to the kitchen. She was surprised at how huge the room was. In one corner was a big dining table with a lamp hanging low above it. Next to the table was the kitchen unit in two rows. Kaito walked into the middle and got her a glass of water.

Suddenly exhausted, Aoko sat down on one of the chairs and took the glass. “Thanks, Kaito.”

There was a window next to the table but since it was dark outside and the light was on inside, Aoko couldn’t see anything. The girl sipped the water, her mind far away again.

It was a little later that Kaito put a cup in front of her and sat opposite of her. “Drink. It’s hot cocoa. I know my Aoko loved it.”

Aoko slowly took a sip of the hot beverage and smiled happily. “It’s yummy.”

Kaito grinned and took a sip of his own drink. “I know. It’s the best you can get in this city.”

Aoko couldn’t help but smile at that. “You’re charming as ever, aren’t you? By the way, thanks for saving me back there. I guess I wouldn’t have gotten out of that one on my own.” She shuddered at the thought of the slimy guy and where his hand had wandered.

Fake-Kaito’s face darkened considerably and gripped the cup tightly. “You still haven’t answered what you were doing there.”

Aoko shook her head. “Nothing. Like I said before, I was in this – I don’t know, but there were doors so I tried one door and that was where I ended up. But why didn’t anyone else help me?”

“People in this world don’t help others much. That’s how we are. There are always exceptions. Aoko was one of those. She was the kindest soul on this whole planet. There are also others but those are rare. People usually fight for themselves and only build alliances but not real relationships. At least that’s what Aoko always implicated.”

They were silent for a long while after that. Aoko gazed glumly into her cup and let her mind wander.

“Aoko, how about you take a nice hot bath and then go to bed? It’s already pretty late and tomorrow will be a new day. With people shrinking this is not the weirdest thing I’ve seen.”

Aoko looked up, startled. “What?”

Kaito blinked and cleared his throat in embarrassment. “Nothing. Forget what I said. Point is, everything might be back to normal by tomorrow.”

Sighing, Aoko nodded and took another sip of the now barely warm beverage.

“Now, let me get the bath ready for you. I’ll be right back.” With that the fake Kaito left and Aoko stayed back, alone with her thoughts.

If this was but a dream then everything would be just fine once she woke up. But people usually didn’t know they were in a dream, right? And if she knew and told herself to wake up, why didn’t she? So, this couldn’t really be a dream, now could it?

She knew she didn’t want to be here. This Kaito may have been nice and all but he wasn’t _her_ Kaito and while she knew nothing would be the same once she got back, she wanted nothing more.

She didn’t even dread the conversation with Kaito about him being Kid. That wasn’t even the worst part. She wasn’t even angry about that anymore. Given the fact that she might be trapped wherever this is forever, she’d prefer a lying Kaito being Kaitou Kid anytime.

She could still think about what she’d do about it once she was back but since she didn’t know when or if – no, she didn’t want to think about that possibility – she got back, there was no need to get worked up about it now.

When Kaito of this world came back to inform her that the bath was ready she couldn’t help herself. “Why do you hate Kaitou Kid?”

He leaned on the doorframe and viewed her with a detached look. “Kaitou Kid took everything from me. I admit hating him won’t change things but it’s easier if you can blame something.”

“Why are you so open with me? I guess that’s the biggest difference between you and the Kaito I know. I never know what he really thinks or why he does things.”

Fake-Kaito went up to her and stroked her cheek softly. “Because, little Aoko, if I had been this open from the beginning _my_ Aoko might still be alive today. If you are but a product of my imagination or if God gave me another chance, I don’t know but I’m not going to make the same mistakes again. And now, hop into the bath and no more questions.”

His touch felt warm and nice, something which was so alien coming from Kaito but at the same time she didn’t want him to stop. “But –,“ she started to protest until Fake-Kaito put his hand over her mouth to stop her. “No questions. I’m the adult here so the kid has to listen, got it?”

Aoko bit his hand and with a curse on his tongue he let go. “I’m 17. I told you before. I’m not a kid! Besides, how old are you? You cannot be older than 17 and half.”

Kaito frowned. “I’ll have to inform the young miss that I, in fact, am a fully grown adult of the age of 25. Now, do you want me to carry you to the bath? Because I’m very inclined to do so.”

Aoko stuck out her tongue at him. “No way are you 25.” In truth, though, Aoko wasn’t surprised. He _did_ exude some kind of authoritative air only an adult could possess and 25 did seem to her to be old enough for that.

“Well, and you sure don’t act like a 17 year old woman. You act like a 10 year old, if you ask me.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest and watched her with a stern look. Aoko only once again stuck out her tongue at him and left for the bath.

At least until she was alone again, she realized how he had successfully raised her mood and made her gloomy thoughts go away.

Sighing again, she stripped and entered the hot tub. It soothed her a little but didn’t keep the dark thoughts away. He was fun to be around if he wanted to and maybe if she got to know him better, she might like staying here. But back when he met her, he attacked her and Aoko couldn’t get it out of her head that he might be very well dangerous. She didn’t know him. She only knew another version, another Kaito, that had nothing to do with him.

Her Kaito would never attack her. Sure, he _had_ raised his stupid card gun and threatened her with that but he was also an incredibly good shot and he’d never seriously try to hurt her. With this Kaito though, the intent had been clear back then. Even now, with all the easy banter, he never lost that dangerous edge.

He was so different from her Kaito but she couldn’t say that she didn’t like the difference. He was honest with her. Something Kaito hasn’t been for a very long time. It was a refreshing change, once in a while. She wondered what made this Kaito change his mind though. And then the thing with Kaitou Kid. So, something happened while he was Kaitou Kid? Did his Aoko die while he was being Kid? Had he kept that a secret as well? Was that why she died?

That was another thing Aoko wondered about. If this Kaito was 25 and that Aoko died seven years ago, he had been 18 and if their ages were anything like in her world, that other Aoko was 18, too. If this was some kind of reality and Aoko was trapped here, did that mean that she’d die in about a year’s time? Was she sent here, wherever this was, to die? Or was she sent here so that this Kaito could stop it from happening?

And what did he mean by shrinking? People _couldn’t_ simply shrink. Maybe this world was more different than she thought, after all.

Suddenly, the door opened and one Kaito entered. Aoko shrieked and hid deeper in the water. “Get out! What are you doing?! Get out!”

“Jeez, calm down. I saw Aoko naked before. I imagine you won’t look any different so what’s the big deal? Anyway, here’s a towel and here are a few clothes. They should be fine.”

“You-you-you’re just like _him_. You’re such a pervert! No matter where I am, Kaito is Kaito. I _can’t_ believe that. Get _out_!” she screamed and threw a bottle after the other after him until he left, laughing hard.

Shaking and breathing hard, her face burning red in embarrassment, Aoko tried to get her raging heart back under control. This was _so_ Kaito. Now, that she thought about it, Kaito had seen her naked, as well. Back then when he gave her that one odd little robot thingie, she’d gone to take a bath and he’d been watching like the creep he was through the window. She’d never felt more embarrassed in her life, maybe that was why she nearly forgot about it.

Though, she still remembered the beating she gave him the next day when she saw him on the way to school. She’d never felt more satisfied than that day.

If she knew this Kaito wouldn’t retaliate in some dangerous way, Aoko would give him a good beating, as well, but as things stood she didn’t know him and rather didn’t risk things.

Slumping in the tub, she pinched her nose in frustration.

_This pervert. Creep. Kaito!!_

Deciding to get out before Kaito barged in _again_ , Aoko took the towel to dry her off and then put on the clothes he provided. Basically, it was boxer shots (his probably) and a big shirt that fell to her thighs (his as well, probably). She felt utterly naked, if she was really honest. Especially staying over night with a guy who looked like Kaito (a guy she actually had a crush on – no, cross that, was quite in love with) with nothing on but boxer shorts and a dark loose shirt.

Well, she didn’t have much choice seeing how she didn’t have any other clothes and she didn’t want to wear her dress, either. The bra was really uncomfortable to sleep in, she never got how her friends could do that.

Watching herself in the mirror, Aoko didn’t see a difference. This was her, alright. This was her seventeen year old self.

Sighing for the hundreds time this night, she lightly brushed through her hair to smooth it out a little and left the room. Kaito was waiting for her in the living room. It was a big room with a big couch, currently transformed into a bed, a big TV, shelves and cabinets full with books aligned along the wall. On one side there was an open staircase. So he even had a second floor?

If she had to stay here for a while, at least his apartment was really nice. She’d have to clean it but other than that she kind of liked it.

“It fits you. I knew it would,” Fake-Kaito expressed amusedly.

Aoko scowled at that. “Honestly, first you attack me, then you’re nice and then you just barge in while I’m bathing. You’re horrible!”

Instead of getting angry, Fake-Kaito patted the space next to him on the couch and smiled warmly. “How’s your throat?”

Aoko sat down next to him and touched the spot where he got rough with her. It didn’t hurt and when she had looked herself over in the mirror it wasn’t red, either. “It’s fine.”

Kaito tenderly stroked over her skin. “I’m glad. I’m still sorry about that. Won’t happen again, promise.”

“Why did you attack me in the first place?”

“Because this world is cruel, Aoko. I’ve experienced many bad things. I thought this was some new kind of cruel joke played by people who hate me. You have to admit it’s very unlikely that your dead girlfriend rises from the dead, don’t you?”

“Ah well …”

“Anyway. Promise me one thing, Aoko. No matter what happens, don’t leave this apartment on your own. You don’t know the world outside. You’re a good girl, you have a kind soul. If you want to go out or want to see something, if you need anything, ask me. I’ll get whatever you want. I’ll take you wherever you want to go, just don’t go alone, alright?”

Aoko nodded. “Alright. I promise. No leaving this apartment without you. But what if you attack me again?”

Kaito shook his head. “That is one thing I can promise you won’t happen again. You’re safe here.”

Aoko only nodded. At least her Kaito barely kept to his promises. Maybe this one was different, maybe he changed and kept them now. Maybe this Kaito had always kept his promises. Well, it wasn’t like Aoko wanted to leave anyway. Time would show if he was honest or not.

“Good. You can sleep here, if you need anything I’ll be up, alright?” He pointed to the second level and the staircase that led there. “Don’t hesitate to wake me if you need anything. You know where the kitchen is, the bathroom as well. Well then, good night, little Aoko.”

He patted her head affectionately and stood up.

“Good night, old man Kaito,” she said in a teasing voice and reveled in the toothy grin plastered on his face.

He left upstairs and left her to herself again. Aoko lied down on the bed and snuggled in the blanket. It smelled just like she was used from Kaito. It felt comforting in this sea of newness.

When she closed her eyes she realized how tired she actually was. The whole night, even if it wasn’t much more than a few hours, has been weighing down heavily on her. It felt nice to be lying in a nice and warm bed, coated in Kaito’s smell. There were definitely worse things.

When she opened her eyes the next time, she couldn’t close them fast enough. Damn, her head _hurt_. Her _body_ hurt. What was going on?

“Aoko!” a voice cried out forcefully. It sounded like her father. There was chaos around her, that much she could make out. “Aoko. How do you feel? Aoko?”

She opened one eye again, watching her father walking next to her. Wait. Walking? She _wasn’t_ walking. The world was also strangely vertical.

“Hurts,” she croaked out and closed her eyes again. She could tell it was dark but some light was still blinding her.

What happened?

There were more voices, telling her father to calm down and someone else was speaking, someone she knew but couldn’t really place where from.

When she forcefully opened one eye again she was staring right into a dark sky, or that’s what she thought. There were heads around her, people in uniforms.

Paramedics.

_Right. The heist. I must be back home._

She closed her eyes again, feeling relieved having finally figured out what was going on. She was lying on a stretcher, probably, and paramedics took her somewhere. Well, it would explain her pain. It must be quite the wounds if she was taken in by the paramedics. 


End file.
